Men's Basketball

Tornado too much for Hiwassee, 123-51

Feb 23, 2011

BRISTOL, Tenn. - The King College men's basketball team saw Hiwassee (Tenn.) College stay in the game early, but eventually the homestanding Tornado pulled away for a 123-51 win Wednesday.

King, now at 15-12 on the season, scored the first seven points of the contest in a 1:49 span. Hiwassee answered with six straight points, but King reeled off a 7-1 run and the lead grew from there. With 11:48 left in the half King built a 22-11 lead as Hiwassee went three minutes without a basket. In the visitor's drought the Tornado scored 17. For the final 10:08 of the first King led by at least 20 and for the final 5:56 it was a 30-point lead that saw the Tornado take a 71-22 lead to the halftime break.

The 71 first-half points were more than King scored in six games earlier in the season. The 22 points from Hiwassee in the first were the second fewest allowed by the Tornado, one more than Hiwassee had in the Feb. 1 meeting.

A Hiwassee layup from the game's leading scorer Justin Browner was then answered by 14 straight King points, six from Mark Dockery (Nickelsville, Va.). Dockery went onto finish with 25 points to give him 1,741 for his career and 59 away from taking the top spot on King's All-Time Scoring List. He also blocked two shots.

The margin swelled to 70 for the final 7:34 of the game as 12 of King's 13 players scored in the contest.

Clarence Smith (Nashville, Tenn.) paced King with 26 points with a 10-for-12 effort from the field. He added a 6-for-7 night at the free throw line. Smith moved closer to becoming the 12th member of King players with at least 1,400 points in their career as he owns 1,386 points after the game. He also added to his block total with his 100th career in the game.

Brian Hewitt (Lexington, Ky.) might not have scored, but he dished out nine assists with four steals.

Brandon Goss (St. Louis, Mo.) provided 10 assists as well as a part of the season-high 35 for the team.

King's 123 points are the second most this season, one behind the total from the Life (Ga.) University contest from Feb. 10. The Tornado made a season-best 46 field goals with 15 being from behind the three-point line. King used 26 turnovers for 37 points and the Tornado added a dozen second-chance points from 12 offensive rebounds.

Hiwassee finished 18-for-52 as the Tornado defense allowed the fewest field goals of the season in the contest. The Tigers had seven 3-pointers.

King was ahead in the rebound category 43-23.

The Tornado will close out the home portion of the regular season Saturday with a 3 p.m. game against USC Aiken.